Former Manchester United star Angel Di Maria has confirmed that a proposed move back to boyhood club Rosario Central is off after harrowing threats were made to his family.
The World Cup -winning forward was considering a potential return to the Argentinian outfit where he first made his name after leaving Benfica at the end of last season. Having been born in Rosario, a move back to his home country for the 36-year-old legend would have represented a fairytale end to his glittering career.
However, the ex-Real Madrid winger has shelved those plans after the terrifying threats were made - as he was warned against signing for the club in his homeland. In a horrific turn off events, a box containing a pig's head bearing a bullet wound was sent to Di Maria's sister containing a chilling message.
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Going into more detail during a conversation on television in Argentina, the soccer superstar confirmed that a threat had been made to his daughter's life. He recalled: "There was a threat at my sister's business, a box with a pig's head and a bullet in the forehead, and a note that said that if I returned to [Rosario] Central, the next head was that of my daughter Pia.
"Those months were horrible, he continued, as he confirmed that the incident had put an end to his dream of returning to his boyhood club as he put the safety of his family first, adding: "We could only sit there and cry each night over not being able to carry out that dream return."
This comes after threats were also made to fellow Argentine hero Lionel Messi previously, with Reuters reporting that measures have been taken in the region to ensure public figures are kept safe. According to the report, the nation's federal security forces were sent into Rosario in March, while Governor Maximiliano Pullaro also confirmed that "protocols" were being implemented to improve the situation.
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Speaking about the current plight of high-profile stars in the city, Di Maria drew attention to the issues with crime and anti-social behavior in the area. He said: It is disrespectful to talk about security and protocols for me when people from Rosario cannot go out to work, cannot wait for the bus without being robbed or killed for a backpack."
The Argentina hero brought the curtain down on his international career after helping his country to a second successive Copa America crown earlier in the summer. He retired from national duty having appeared on 145 occasions for La Albiceleste, scoring 31 times.
Di Maria currently remains without a club following a 17-year spell in Europe which saw him play for giants Benfica, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus before a second stint with Benfica. He won seven league titles on the continent, alongside the Champions League with Madrid in 2014.
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